Ada Bible Church Pastor Pens Third Book
Pastor Jeff Manion has learned the virtue faithfulness in life and ministry. He's served at Ada Bible Church for 33 years; he's seen individuals serve year after year after year, exhibiting faithfulness in even the smallest things.Manion has preached and taught on faithfulness through the years, mostly touching on it as part of other topics. "But people responded to it," he said. "The material touched a nerve, and seems like a topic that has resonated."
His new book "Dream Big, Think Small: Living an Extraordinary Life One Day at a Time," recently released by Zondervan, speaks to faithfulness in everyday life.
"It's about long-term faithfulness, about stamina," said Manion. "Holy redundancy means latching on to a fairly mundane task that is life-giving to others. It's being willing to master the mundane."
Manion describes parenting young children as a picture of faithfulness, doing the same things again and again. He speaks of a volunteer he knows who has done hospital visits for a couple of decades.
"That man will live an extraordinary life because he's given himself to his ministry and done it again and again," said Manion.
"Dream Big, Think Small" is divided into 30 brief chapters each with a short reflection section. Manion suggests reading one chapter each day for five days for six weeks. The book concludes with a chapter to help readers narrow their focus and concentrate on just a few life-giving activities that can lead life-long faithfulness. Choosing a few things to focus on is easier and better than trying to do 20.
"Goodness grows slowly," he says in the conclusion. "Your greatest movement will be measured over the course of months and years, not over the course of a few days."
Manion will preach a series titled "Dream Big, Think Small" at Ada Bible Church from Feb. 19-March 26. Visit www.adabible.org for more information or to watch the sermons that will be available midweek after each presentation.
"Dream Big, Think Small" is available at Baker Book House and online.
